Norway Chess: R Praggnanandhaa Stuns Magnus Carlsen to Grab Sole Lead

Oslo: In a stunning upset, Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa clinched his first-ever classical victory against the reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen, propelling himself to the top of the leaderboard at the Norway Chess tournament.

With 5.5 points after three rounds, the 18-year-old secured his position as the tournament leader. This victory marks a significant milestone for Praggnanandhaa, who has previously bested Carlsen in rapid and exhibition matches. Their previous encounters in classical chess had ended in draws.

Meanwhile, in the women’s competition, Praggnanandhaa’s sister R Vaishali also claimed the top spot with 5.5 points, following a draw against Anna Muzychuk.

In other notable results, Fabiano Caruana of the USA defeated reigning world champion Ding Liren of China, relegating Liren to the bottom of the standings. American player Hikaru Nakamura secured a crucial victory in his Armageddon game against Alireza Firouzja of France, earning him an additional half-point and placing him third in the standings.

The upcoming fourth round will feature a highly competitive matchup between Nakamura and Praggnanandhaa.